CA/Canada - Elisa Lam - 21 years old - Los Angeles/Vancouver - 31-Jan-2013 - #1

[Dushi]

I so agree
someone with connections to the hotel, long term guest or staff JMO

 

[ahlang1226]

I'm just so sad right now. I was so hoping this would turn out differently. There is no way she got into those tanks on her own. She was helped. Someone who worked there or who is a permenant resident there that knows the nooks and crannies of the place. I've stayed in many hotels, and never once did I go on the roof or even know there were water tanks that supplied the guests with water.

And her clothes were off....so that means person (s) did something to her before she end up there....maybe there will be DNA left so the police can track them down.!

 

[jetsetsam]

I've worked in several hotels.

Sometimes there is not an elevator to the roof, only a stairway.

And when there is an elevator, it's a service elevator that you need a key for.

And then the door to the roof is always locked, for security reasons.

And bodies usually sink when they are put in water.

Sink to plug outlets which are at the bottom of the tank.

Which means the body probably hasn't been there 3 weeks.

 

[Hazel]

Article has been UPDATED:

For the Record, 2:41 p.m. Feb. 19:
A previous version of this post and headline stated that police said the body was that of Elisa Lam. A positive identification has not been made; police said the body is believed to be hers.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2013/02/body-of-missing-canadian-tourist-found-in-water-tank-at-la-hotel.html

 

[tarabull]

IF the video of Elisa was going to or coming from a shower - she could have done that on her own floor and avoided the elevator...and where was her towel...???...

 

[Dushi]

IF the video of Elisa was going to or coming from a shower - she could have done that on her own floor and avoided the elevator...and where was her towel...???...

Yes, towel and toiletries

 

[shmip]

I agree that the crime is committed by more than 1 person and most likely by someone who works at or for the hotel. If it has been confirmed that she was nude, then she was probably raped, murdered, and put into the tank. Perhaps Elisa did something which angered someone which triggered the murderous intention.

Damn, I think it would be difficult to trace the criminals in such a situation.

 

[tarabull]

Perhaps first to be under the microscope --- the staff member who said they saw Elisa in the lobby...

 

[ahlang1226]

I agree that the crime is committed by more than 1 person and most likely by someone who works at or for the hotel. If it has been confirmed that she was nude, then she was probably raped, murdered, and put into the tank. Perhaps Elisa did something which angered someone which triggered the murderous intention.

Damn, I think it would be difficult to trace the criminals in such a situation.

i too agree. If raped, there would be semen left in her body? hope that help trace the person(s)? I believe there will always be clues and hints that will lead police in arresting whoever was / were responsible for this.

 

[kunibob]

IF the video of Elisa was going to or coming from a shower - she could have done that on her own floor and avoided the elevator...and where was her towel...???...

Good point. Or maybe just use the toilet? Have we confirmed if her floor had in-suite toilets or not?

My elevator theory was that she was feeling threatened by something (possibly in a communal bathroom), so she went into the elevator, looking purposeful, like her room wasn't on that floor, and then hit multiple buttons to obscure which floor she got off at, leaning close to see the buttons because her glasses were off. I may just be projecting my own personality onto Elisa, though...I know when I'm feeling nervous about a situation, I will act very calm as I try to do things to throw them off my trail, almost theatrical/dramatic about it.

My mind is going wild with conjecture... Hopefully this awful situation will bring about more information and the case will be solved.

 

[tarabull]

i too agree. If raped, there would be semen left in her body? hope that help trace the person(s)? I believe there will always be clues and hints that will lead police in arresting whoever was / were responsible for this.

She's been in the water tho...hope there's still a trace.

REGARDLESS, I wonder what The Cecil's vacany rate is atm...

KUNIBOB, we aren't aware of what floor she was on = there are a variety of rooms, with & without toilets. All floors had public toilets and showers.

 

[The Cheese]

Bernard Diaz, 89, a 32-year tenant of the Cecil, said he heard a "tremendous" noise the night before Lam was missing in the fourth floor above him.

He also said there was flooding on the fourth floor the day after Lam went missing.

"They said there was some obstruction to the drain between the third and fourth floor," Diaz said.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lan...er-womans-body-found-in-hotel-water-tank.html

 

[Deleted member 96356]

Even our own residential storage tank needs a wrench for me to loosen the bolt things to get the top off (a stronger person like the plumber can do it with their hands). I can't imagine unfastening the hatch with bare hands on a commercial tank. Surely it requires tools. And who would carry the right tools with them? Hmmm. Unless the hatches aren't secured, which is really gross.

Is that a security camera at the rooftop door? (from the aerial news footage)

 

[tarabull]

Bernard Diaz, 89, a 32-year tenant of the Cecil, said he heard a "tremendous" noise the night before Lam was missing in the fourth floor above him.

He also said there was flooding on the fourth floor the day after Lam went missing.

"They said there was some obstruction to the drain between the third and fourth floor," Diaz said.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lan...er-womans-body-found-in-hotel-water-tank.html

iirc 4th floor is The Stay

eta:

Rooms for Stay occupy floors four through six of the historic hotel.

http://blogdowntown.com/2008/07/3465-boutique-stay-hotel-softlaunches-in-the-cecil

 

[amberdawn723]

Rest in peace Elisa :rose:

 

[Catchew]

The last people to see Lam, a hostess and desk clerk at the hotel, said they never saw her with anyone else.

Hmmmm...I'll have to look at the video with "fresh eyes" as I'm beginning to wonder if my theory that she wasn't scared is wrong.

Poor, sweet girl.

Read more: http://bc.ctvnews.ca/body-believed-...-a-hotel-s-water-tank-1.1163193#ixzz2LOMf6THK

 

[ahlang1226]

Sigh, didn't we keep urging how the police shoudl search the WHOLE building.....

 

[mollymae]

Bernard Diaz, 89, a 32-year tenant of the Cecil, said he heard a "tremendous" noise the night before Lam was missing in the fourth floor above him.

He also said there was flooding on the fourth floor the day after Lam went missing.

"They said there was some obstruction to the drain between the third and fourth floor," Diaz said.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lan...er-womans-body-found-in-hotel-water-tank.html

This is a red flag to me. What was the obstruction? Why were the police not notified of strange noises and flooding when a girl was missing? Why weren't the water tanks checked then? This sounds like the hotel was just brushing it off. Odd.

A shady hotel with a very shady past keeps living up to its reputation...

 

[Seajay]

That old guy has lived at The Cecil for 32 years??? Wow. How many of them are there? So it's possible one of them could have taken her to the roof. They would all know about the roof, whether or not it's locked, and would know about the tanks and how to gain access to them.

This poor girl had no business staying there. I won't even drive through there at night.

 

[MissieMt]

This is a red flag to me. What was the obstruction? Why were the police not notified of strange noises and flooding when a girl was missing? Why weren't the water tanks checked then? This sounds like the hotel was just brushing it off. Odd.

A shady hotel with a very shady past keeps living up to its reputation...

I had to quote you because I absolutely agree with all you said and felt thanks wasn't enough.
I will be absolutely livid if there really was an obstruction in the plumbing after she went missing and LE was not notified or did not investigate properly. The "obstruction" screams of evidence. Whether it be a weapon or just something used to clean up or evidence from a sexual assault (I want to vomit....and scream)....they had better have looked into that "obstruction".
I'm really hoping this is solved quickly. There should be video of something unusual going on (besides the video of Elisa). I can't imagine them not having surveillance on the roof and/or leading up to the roof. Who can take a body up to a roof without it being noticed or caught on camera, even if the body was concealed? Look at who went to that rooftop, and then look at who went up with something large enough to hide a body. If there isn't video, then I would assume it's been destroyed and I would look straight to the people who could possibly do that. I think it's pretty obvious that this was done by an employee. I wouldn't be surprised if LE already has a pretty good idea of who could be responsible.